Speaking to media persons, Parsekar said that the government is not shielding Pacheco and that the law will take its own course. “If he was in the cabinet then you could have said that we are protecting him. He has already resigned,” the chief minister said.
Pacheco, the former Minister for Rural Development Agency, is currently absconding after being convicted to undergo six month imprisonment by the High Court, an order which was upheld by the Supreme Court for slapping a government servant. Pacheco has already filed revision petition before the Apex Court.
When asked whether government will continue to seek support of Goa Vikas Party (GVP), whose MLA has been convicted and is presently absconding, the chief minister refused to comment. “I would not like to comment on the issue….why to speak about all such things at this stage,” he said.
Parsekar also said that one of his Cabinet ministers is unnecessarily being dragged into controversy linked to the death of an NRI. “There are cellular text messages being circulated about involvement of one of my ministers. If anyone has any proof they should name the minister,” he said.
The chief minister was referring to a text message that has gone viral in the State, which claims that an NRI had to commit suicide due to a cabinet minister.
“When you mention a state cabinet minister in a text message, then you tend to point finger at all the 11 ministers,” he said. Goa has 12 cabinet ministers of which one is a woman.
